{{Short description|Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Kitano Tenmangū Shrine<br>北野天満宮 | image = Kitano-tenmangu Kyoto Japan41s3s4592.jpg | caption = The ''honden'', or main building. | map_type = Japan | map_alt = | coordinates = <span style="white-space: nowrap;">{{coord|35|01|52|N|135|44|07|E|type:landmark_region:JP-26|display=inline,title}}</span> | map_relief = | map_size = | map_caption = Location within Japan | religious_affiliation = Shinto | type = Tenmangū | deity = Sugawara no Michizane | founded_by = | established = 947 | date_destroyed = | location = Hakuraku-chō, Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto | website = {{URL|http://www.kitanotenmangu.or.jp/}} | architecture_style = Gongen-zukuri | festival = Reitaisai (August 4th) | leadership = }}
{{Nihongo|'''Kitano Tenmangū'''|北野天満宮|Kitano-Tenmangu}} is a Shinto shrine in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan.<ref>Richard, Ponsonby-Fane. (1964) '' Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan,'' pp. 194-220.</ref>
==History== {{stack| thumb|Two women praying in front of the ''chishusha'' (地主社) thumb|Lanterns hang from the eaves of the main buildings. }} The shrine was first built in 947 to appease the angry spirit of bureaucrat, scholar and poet Sugawara no Michizane, who had been exiled as a result of political maneuvers of his enemies in the Fujiwara clan.
The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period.<ref>Breen, John ''et al.'' (2000). [https://books.google.com/books?id=MADlfH002mAC&q=oharano ''Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami,'' pp. 74-75.]</ref>{{clarify|reason=Given that the Heian period lasted from roughly the end of the 8th century to the end of the 12th, and this shrine was built in the mid-10th century, it can be assumed by "early Heian period" we mean the first half of the Heian period, but the Google Books link in the source says nothing of the sort, and the only references to Kitano in the book appear to be for the same information attributed to Ponsonby-Fane in the next two sentences. "late 10th century" might be better wording, but unless it's supported by the source it can't be changed without fixing the citation.|date=September 2020}} In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers be sent to report important events to the guardian ''kami'' of Japan. These messengers initially presented gifts called ''{{illm|heihaku|ja|幣帛}}'' to 16 shrines;<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). ''Studies in Shinto and Shrines,'' pp. 116-117.</ref> and in 991, Emperor Ichijō added three more shrines to Murakami's list — including Kitano.<ref name="pf118">Ponsonby-Fane, ''Studies in Shrines,'' p. 118.</ref>{{dubious|reason=This appears to be either a misreading of Ponsonby-Fane, or a Wikipedia original datum to which Ponsonby-Fane was added later because he said something similar. "guardian kami of Japan" doesn't appear to be supported by the source, which implies either that the offerings were for imperial family shrines or for shrines dedicated to the "heavenly deities".|date=September 2020}}
From 1871 through 1946, the Kitano Tenman-gū was officially designated one of the {{nihongo|''Kanpei-chūsha''|官幣中社}}, meaning that it stood in the second rank of government supported shrines.<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' pp. 126.</ref>
==Tenjin== The shrine was dedicated to Michizane; and in 986, the scholar-bureaucrat was deified and the title of "Tenjin" was conferred.
[[File:Maiko serving tea at Kitano Tenmangū 2011-02-25.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A ''maiko'' serving tea at the plum blossom festival.]] The grounds are filled with Michizane's favorite tree, the red and white ''ume'' or plum blossom, and when they blossom the shrine is often very crowded. The Plum Blossom Festival (梅花祭, ''baikasai'') is held on February 25, coinciding with the monthly market. An open-air tea ceremony (野点, ''nodate'') is hosted by geiko and apprentice maiko from the nearby Kamishichiken district, where tea and wagashi are served to 3,000 guests by geisha and maiko.<ref>[http://www.kyoto.travel/baika-sai_plum_festival.html Baika-sai (Plum Festival)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120121500/http://www.kyoto.travel/baika-sai_plum_festival.html |date=2011-01-20 }}, Kyoto Travel Guide</ref><ref>[http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2007feb/02-25.html Open-Air Tea Ceremony with the Scent of Plum Blossoms: Plum Blossom Festival at Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930173809/http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2007feb/02-25.html |date=2011-09-30 }}, Kyoto Shimbun, 2007.2.25</ref> The plum festival has been held on the same day every year for about 900 years to mark the death of Michizane. The outdoor tea ceremony dates back to 1952. In that year, a big festival was held to mark the 1,050th anniversary of Michizane's death, based on the historic Kitano Ochakai tea ceremony hosted at the shrine by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
thumb|The proverbial flea market at Tenmangū Kitano Tenmangū is popular with students praying for success in exams because the deity was in his life a man of literature and knowledge. On the 25th of every month, the shrine hosts a flea market. Together with the similar festival at Tō-ji, a temple in the same city, they inspired the Kyoto proverb, "Fair weather at the Tōji market means rainy weather at the Tenjin market," calling to mind Kyoto's fickle weather.
==See also== {{Portal|Japan|Architecture}} * List of Shinto shrines * Twenty-Two Shrines * List of National Treasures of Japan (shrines) * List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings) * Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines * Tenmangū * Tenjin Matsuri
==Notes== {{reflist|2}}
==References== * Breen, John and Mark Teeuwen. (2000). [https://books.google.com/books?id=MADlfH002mAC&q=nijunisha ''Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami.''] Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. {{ISBN|978-0-8248-2363-4}} * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). [https://books.google.com/books?id=tjEvAAAAYAAJ&q=Studies+in+Shinto+and+Shrines ''Studies in Shinto and Shrines.''] Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/3994492 OCLC 399449] * ____________. (1959). [https://books.google.com/books?id=SLAeAAAAMAAJ&q=The+Imperial+House+of+Japan ''The Imperial House of Japan.''] Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. [http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/194887 OCLC 194887] * ____________. (1964). [https://books.google.com/books?id=_6rXAAAAMAAJ&q=Visiting+famous+shrines+in+japan ''Visiting Famous Shrines in Japan.''] Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial Society. {{OCLC|1030156}}
== External links == {{commons category|Kitano Tenman-gū}} * [http://kitanotenmangu.or.jp/top_en.php Kitano Tenmangū Official web page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171118225900/http://kitanotenmangu.or.jp/top_en.php |date=2017-11-18 }} {{in lang|en}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110930173809/http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2007feb/02-25.html Kyoto Shimbun: Open-Air Tea Ceremony...] {{in lang|en}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitano Tenman-Gu}} Category:Beppyo shrines
Category:947 establishments Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in the 940s Category:Shinto shrines in Kyoto Category:National Treasures (Japan) Category:Important Cultural Properties (Japan) Category:10th-century establishments in Japan Category:Sugawara no Michizane Category:Tenjin (kami) Category:Kanpei Chūsha Category:Twenty-Two Shrines Category:Kokushi genzaisha {{Tenjin Faith}}